98 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {landmark} words by MARGARET KOENIG the cardinal hotel Built in 1924, The Cardinal Hotel in Palo Alto is an important historical landmark that remains fully operational 101 years later. The three-story hotel was constructed under the auspices of the Palo Alto Improvement Company, part of an early effort to encourage downtown development—an initiative that proved largely successful, thanks in part to projects like The Cardinal. With entrances on Hamilton Avenue and Ramona Street, The Cardinal is part of the Ramona Street Architectural District, known for its historic Spanish Colonial-style buildings. Prolific California architect William H. Weeks, who designed the building alongside renowned local architect Birge Clark, put a classical twist on the Spanish Colonial style by incorporating ornate marble pillars, and framing the windows and entryways with a decorative terra-cotta border. Today, much around the hotel has changed, but The Cardinal’s essential character has remained the same as it was a century ago. The hotel has been owned by the Dahl family since 1945. They bought it after leaving Hawaii and moving to California following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Bjarne Dahl served as its manager from 1975 until his death in 2009. There have been modern upgrades over the years, but The Cardinal retains many of its distinctly Art Deco touches, from its tile floors to wrought-iron chandeliers and sconces. The hotel’s original dining room has been converted into an antique store, and period items can be found throughout the lobby, like a well-preserved switchboard desk and two wooden phone booths, plus an antique piano, classic radio and vintage chess board. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: JANE GARRINO - THE CARDINAL HOTEL
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